Process of making multicolor-printing surfaces.



'PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903.

I A. VON BEUSI.

PROCESS OF MAKING MULTIGOLOR PRINTING SURFACES.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 19, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a 75W? k NORRIS Firms co. PHpmLm-w No. 735,854. PATENTED AUG. 11,- 1903.

A. VON BEUST. PROCESS OF MAKING MULTIGOLOR PRINTING SURFACES.

APPLICATION I'IL-BD NOV. 19. 1902. 4

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2\ N0 MODEL UNITED STATES Fatented August 11, 1905. I

PATENT OFFICE.

ANTON VON BEUST, OF ORANGE, NE\/V JERSEY.

PROCESS OF MAKING MULTICOLOR-IPRINTING SURFACE-S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,8 54, dated August11, 1903 Application filed November 19, 1902. Serial No. 131,988. (Nospecimens.)

ing-surface that is adapted for contact printing. 7 I

It also relates to the improved printing-surface made by the improvedprocess. To these ends my invention consists in the improvedprinting-surface and the improved process of making the same, ashereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claimsfollowing the description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification,

wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa tray for molding a flatcomposition sheet, the painted layer or coating being shown'in thebottom of the tray. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the wire brushemployed for puncturing the composition plate. Fig. 3 is a similar viewof the sectional cylinder for molding the plate in roller form, the twosections of the cylinder being shown slightly separated. I Fig. 4. is adetailed perspective view of the core or Fig. 5 is a similar view of-thesec-" mandrel. tional cylinder, one of the caps being removed and thecore and roller being shown-in place in the cylinder. of one of thecaps. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified implement for puncturing thecomposition sheet. Fig. 8 is a perspective view thereof, and Fig. 9 is aperspective view ofa portion of the composition sheet afterit has beenoperated on by said modified implement.

In making an impression-plate according to my invention I first make agelatinous, viscous, or glutinous mass or mixture from any materialsuitable for the purpose. For

example, I mix together glue or gelatin, soap, glycerin, and oil ofcloves and warm the com- Fig. 6 is a perspective view;

pound in a water-bath in a well-known mariner. I then take a tray or panof a suitable size-such, for example, as indicated by the numeral 1 inFig. l of the drawings -and coat the bottom of such pan or tray with athiii layer of the mixture above described while in a warm condition andpermit the layer or coating to cool. Then with suitable dyes, pigments,or anilin colors, preferably mixed with glycerin or the like, I paintthe picture, design, or whatever the ornamental subject is which it isproposed to reproduce by printing on the layer in the bottom of'the trayand permit the painting to dry. After the painting has become perfectlydry I cover it with a thin sheet or coating of the glutinous compositionabove described, and before applying such coating it is previouslycooled in order to prevent blurring, after which is poured a sufficientquantity of the said.

composition in a warm state over the whole and to a depth sufficient tomake a plate of the desired thickness, and the entire mass is thenallowed to cool and stifien. With a suitable instrument I then form inthe composition plate constructed as above described in- ;numerableminute incisionsthat extend from the top of the composition plate as itlies in.

the tray transversely down through said plate nearly to the bottom ofthe tray, or, in other words, down to the painted part of the plate nearthe bottom of the tray, and said incisions may be conveniently, rapidly,and accurately formed by means of the implement shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing sand which I will now describe.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the reference-numeral 2 indicates abrush-back,

which is preferably formed of a material which is slightly elasticsuchas leather, rawhide, rubber, or the like-and inserted in said brush-backis a pluralityof bristles 3, preferably formed of wire, said bristlesbeing of a length sufficient to pass at least entirely through thecomposition-plate molded in the tray before referred to. The bristlesare set Very close together and are preferably about one sixty-fourth ofan inch in diameter. After the composition plate has been formed in themanner before described the bristles are oiled or greased and are alsowarmed, after which the brush is placed on top of the composition plate,the ends of the bristles resting on the upper surface of the plate, andby means of handles 4 the brush is pressed down upon the plate, so as tocause the bristles to punctureor honeycomb the plate and to such a depththat the bristles will puncture to or near to the bottom of the pan, or,in other words, will at least puncture to the painted bottom portion ofthe composition plate. The bristles are allowed to remain in thecompound untilthey become cool, when the brush is withdrawn. plateremaining in the tray and honeycombed or punctured to a pointin closeproximity to its bottom. The top of the plate is now covered withalcohol or citric acid in solution or other fluid material whichoperates to dissolve the anilin colors readily. After all the punctureshave been filled with the dissolving fluid the plate is allowed to standfor some time to permit the color which forms the ornamental design nearthe bottom of the plate to dissolve and to rise through the punctures tothe top of the plate by capillary attraction. After this result has beeneffected the tray is set level in a water-bath, just warm enough tosulficiently soften the composition plate to allow the punctures toclose up and cause the plate to form once more a solid mass.

Care should be taken that the water-bath will not be sufliciently warmto dissolve or melt the composition. When sufficiently cool, the mass orcompound plate is removed from the tray and is then ready for printing.From this plate may be taken thousands of impressions on paper fabrics,oil-cloth, plastered walls, plaster-of-paris, wood, andunmerousdifierent materials, and the plate may be used to make duplicateimpressions of the original colored design, faithfully reproducing allthe colors in their proper relative positions until the plate has beenwholly consumed.

Inasmuch as the plate constructed as above described is flexible, it maybe readily constructed in the form of a roller or cylinder. Inconstructing it in cylindrical or roller form I proceed as follows:Reference being had to Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings, thenumeral 5 indicates a sectional cylinder, which when the two sectionsare placed edge to edge, so as to register one with the other, form acomplete hollow cylinder. The edges of one of the two longitudinalsectionsas 6, for eXample--are provided with tongues 8 and thecorresponding edges of the other section 7are provided with grooves9,the tongues and grooves matching or fitting one within the other whenthe two sections are assembled together. The nu merals 10 and 1]indicate two caps, which are adapted to be fitted over and close theopposite ends of the sectional cylinder 5. The numeral 12 indicatesacylindrical core or mandrel, which is of less diameter than the innerdiameter of the sectional cylinder 5, and said core is provided at itsoppo- This leaves the compositionsite ends with gudgeons 13,which areadapted to form the journals of the core, as will more fully hereinafterappear.

After the composition plate has been constructedin themannerhereinbefore described it is placed in one of the sections of thecylinder-as 7, for exampleand the core 12 is laid on top of the plateand pressed down onto said section until the plate closely conforms tothe lower half of the core 12 and the interior of the section 7, theinner side of such section having first been oiled or greased to preventthe plate from adhering thereto. In placing the plate in the section 7it is dis posed with its printing-surface toward the oiled surface ofthe cylinder, and after the core has been placed on the plate and saidplate bent to conform thereto, as set forth, the two longitudinal edgesof the plate are drawn toward the core and the other section 6 is placedover the plate and caused to register with the section 7, care beingtaken not to injure, the printing-surface while doing so. On one end ofthe cylinder is now placed the cap 10, which is provided centrally witha socket to receive one of the gudgeons 13 of the core. The cylinder isnext set up on end,

after which the other cap 11 is fitted on the upper end of the cylinder.The cylinder is then warmed by steam or a Water-bath or by any othersuitable means, the temperature being raised just sufficiently to makethe composition roller-plate inside the cylinder to slightly melt or tobecome sufiiciently plastic to permit the mass to closely hug the innersurface of the cylinder, after which the cylinder and its contents arepermitted to cool and the plate or roller to stiffen. After a snfiicienttime has elapsed to accomplish this result the sectional cylinder ispeeled or stripped off the roller-com position plate,when thecomposition roller will be found in readiness for operation and may beemployed to print from either by hand or by rolling it directly over thesurface to be printed upon, or

the roller may be put in a cylindrical press or other press suitable forthe purpose, and the material to be printed may be run through the pressand receive the multicolored impressions. In forming the plate in theform of a roller or cylinder should the circumference of the plate proveto be smaller than the inner circumference of the cylinder, or if amargin is desired between adjacent prints that are to be made by theroller then the gap or space where the two edges of the plate fail tomeet is filled with the compound hereinbe fore described; but allcolor-matter is omitted from such compound, and the colorless compoundis then warmed just enough to make it plastic and to flow readilybetween the two adjacent edges of the plate when the compound is pouredtherein. Gare, however,

should be taken not to sufficiently heat the filling compound to meltthe edges of the plate. The caps are then placed on the ends of thecylinder, and the latter is then warmed and subseqently cooled in themanner before described.

Instead of employing a wire brush to form the punctures in the plate Imay employ a tool so constructed as to form slits in the plate, and Ihave illustrated a tool suitable for such a purpose in Figs. 7 and 8 ofthe drawings. As shown in saidfigures, the tool or instrument comprisesa handle 1t, bifurr cated at one end and having journals in said forkedend, and a rod or shaft 15, on which is rigidly fixed a series of thinand sharp metallic disks 16, which are set very closely together. Inusing the implement I mold in a flat traysuch, for example, as shown inFig. 1 of the drawings-a compound gelatinous or glutinous mass, such asbefore described, and when said mass becomes stiff after coolingit isremoved from the pan or tray and placed on a table or other flatsupport, the smooth side of the composition being disposed uppermost. Onthe upper side of the composition plate is then placed a metallicrectangular frame 17, to the opposite ends of which are attached theends of parallel wires 18. Said wires are stretched taut, and each ofthe ..wires is preferably of a thickness equal to thespace between anytwo of the circular knives or disks 16 of the tool or implement. Theimplement is then placed within the frame, the cutters extending betweenthe wires, and the implement is moved along the composition plate,sufficient pressure being applied thereto to cause the knives to makelong slits having a certain depth and equally distant one from theother. After this has been effected the frame 17 is removed and is againplaced on the composition plate, but in a position ata right angle tothe position it first occupied, and the tool or implement is again runover the plate to make a series of parallel slits, which extend at rightangles to the slits before made. In practice both series of slitsreferred to are cut to such a depth that they will not quite extendthrough the entire thickness of the plate after the plate has beenlongitudinally and transversely slitted in the manner set forth. It isremoved from the table and laid upon a slightly-convex surface to causethe fine slits on the surface of the plate to gap or slightly separate.On top of the slitted surface I now paint the desired design with-anilincolors or dyes dissolved in alcohol. The colors will penetrate intoevery one of the cuts or incisions and will extend down to the lowerends of the latter in the bottom of the plate. When the painting iscompleted, the plate is again laid in its pan, wherein it accuratelyfits, and is then warmed slightly, which causes the mass to again assumethe condition of a solid plate. While warm, care must be used notvtomove the tray, so as to prevent the mass from running together. When theplate becomes cool and stifi, it is then in readiness for printinginnumerable impressions.

acid.

While I have described the plate as being formed from a compositioncomprising a mixture of glue or gelatin, soap, glycerin, and oil ofcloves, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confinemyself to such compositions, as any glutinous, viscous, or gelatinouscompound may be employed, provided it will possess the requisiteflexibility after it has been molded into shape. For example, accordingto one method I proceed as follows: I soak six parts of glue in waterfor several hours and then pour off what water is not absorbed. To theglue I add three parts of glycerin which has been previously heated overa water-bath and constantly stir the mass while the glycerin'is beingadded. To this mass is now added one part of pure castile soap which hasbeen previously dissolved and warmed, and lastlyis added enough of theoil of cloves to prevent decomposition.

can be made of nine parts of dry starch,

one part of glycerin diluted in a small quantity of water, and a fewdrops of carbolic This should be heated and stirred well.. In preparingthe anilin colors I proceed as follows, no proportions being statedforthe reason that different colors will require different treatment, andthe manner of treatment peculiar to each color can only be ascertainedby experiment: As arule I put a quantity of dry anilin color in a mortarand grind it up as fine as possible, and during the grinding operation Iadd a small quantity of alcohol, just sufficient to dissolve the colorparticles. I then add hot glycerin and continue the grinding until thecolor-paste is of the right consistency for painting. In some cases Ihave discovered that more alcohol must be employed than in other cases,and at such times I maintain the mass hot while grinding in order tocause the color to be thoroughly dissolved. Pigments and certain othercolor materials are ground on a slab or in a mortar with water andglycerin in a suitable qnantity to make the mass in the form of a pastefor painting, sufficient water or alcoholbeing used for thinning themass when it is found necessary.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications in the different steps set forth in the method abovedescribed may be resorted to, and I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact methods of procedure hereinbeforedescribed, excepting as may be herein-after specifically set forth inthe appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The process hereindescribed of making printing-surfaces, consisting in coloring one sideof a sheet of glutinous material, superposing a second sheet ofglutinous material on said colored surface, and forming numerouspunctures in said second sheet which exmaterial to fill said punctures,in the manner specified.

2. The process herein described of making printing-surfaces, consistingin forming numerous penetrations in the surface of a flexible glutinoussheet, filling such penetrations with coloring materials in a definitemanner to form a multicolored design in the body of the sheet, andwarming the sheet to cause the penetrations to close up and form a solidsheet from which numerous impressions may be printed in the mannerspecified.

3. The process herein described of making printing-surfaces, consistingin painting on a thin layer of glutinous material a design incontrasting anilin colors, molding a relatively thick sheet of glutinousmaterial on the said painted surface, puncturing said sheet withnumerous minute perforations which extend through the sheet and into thecoloring material. permitting the anilin colors to flow into and fillthe perforations, and warming the mass thus formed suificiently only tocause the puncture to close up and form a solid sheet, from whichnumerous impressions may be printed in the manner specified.

4. The process herein described of making printing-surfaces, consistingin painting on a thin layer of glutinous material a design incontrasting anilin colors, applyinga thin coating of the glutinousmaterial, while in a cool state, to the painted surface, molding arelatively thick sheet of glutinous material on said lastnamed coating,puncturing said sheet with numerous minute perforations, which extendthrough the sheet and into the coloring material, permitting the anilincolors to fall into and fill the perforations, and finally warming themass thus formed sufficiently only to cause the punctures to close upand form a solid sheet on which numerous impressions may be printed inthe manner specified.

5. The process herein described of making printing-surfaces consistingin painting on a thin layer of glutinous material a design incontrasting anilin colors mixed with glycerin, molding a relativelythick sheet of glutinous material on said painted surface, puncturingsaid sheet with nu merous minute perforations,

which extend through the sheet and into the coloring material,permitting the anilin colors to flow into and fill the punctures, andwarming the mass thus formed sufiiciently only to cause the punctures toclose up and form a solid sheet from which numerous impressions may beprinted in the manner specified.

6. The process herein described of making sheet from which numerousimpressions may be printed in the manner specified.

7. The herein-described printing-surface comprising two superposedsheetsofglutinous material, one of said sheets being coated on its innerside with a coloring material, and the other sheet being provided withnumerous punctures which extendentirely therethrough and into thecoloring material, whereby the punctures are filled with the coloringmaterial, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ANTON VON BEUST. Witnesses:

CALVIN W. GORDON, WILLIAM R. MCKAY.

